10 - 20% participation is normally the sort of percentage response you get to a communication so it's not that out of the ordinary, might be the case more vote when there is a fundamental issue to address. For now simply good the motion is passed so there is more influence in the future.

Having said that, now 8 wickets down, they might not have a choice in what gets set...

Does anyone know what Somerset's intentions are? Do they want to se a target or are they happy just bat out time? You'd have thought they would need sixty overs minimum to take the wickets, and wouldn't want to set any less than 300 or so in that time. They're getting close.

Yeah it's amazing how quickly things change. I watched an hour after lunch and although we looked out of ideas we did get Goldsworthy and Vaughan and looked on top. They're on track to set us, what, 300 of 75 tomorrow now? Maybe slightly fewer runs? They would be on the up there...

Seems like it's a pitch where 150 wouldn't be easy but seems like nothing is happening for our bowlers. Very hard to tell.

Lively start...

Good for him but like others, surprised as it seems inconsistent with the club's actions. Worcester loan, sure, but also remember that quote from the club last season, something like "...will start to be withdrawn"

Separately, what's his injury today?

Kept an eye on this, it's actually the nearest pro cricket ground to where I live and was umming and arring to take a day to go there. Also noted Brookes with interest, he wasn't that bad in this game but no real strong case to get recalled to the firsts either. Indeed, you do fear for his professional future. I would have thought, though. some county with a better coaching group than Middlesex could get something more out of him.

Yup, as I say I don't think it could happen - totally not Kai's style to open and we are definitely a bit stuck. Smith's batting average, small sample size acknowledged, is good though so leads you to think that he could be part of the solution somewhere in the order. The Woakes opener is the only thing I can think of and it's probably a laugh to discuss.

Debating Davies' place in the side ad nauseum gets tedious as other than this there is no real alternative as keeper or opener. It's only half an argument.

Interesting to see the averages, see Mousley only just above his career average, didn't expect Hain and Yates would be so far above theirs. WRT Davies and Malik, have the feeling the latter is more vulnerable. Can't see Davies being dropped though seeing as we need his keeping. I would think the most extreme thing that would happen for the next game is that Malik is dropped for Kai and then Davies drops down the order. But I'm not sure Kai as an opener is a great move either. That's the thing about the "drop Davies" campaign. There's no real alternative. I do recall many years ago when England were struggling with openers that Jonathan Agnew suggested Woakes as an opener (a la Shane Watson). Be worth a debate...

A five ball 12 told it's own story. I'm not watching today but could kind of tell it was a sticky end...

Andy wrote:

I can't believe that from Mousley

Yeah was thinking that when he walked out! If ever there was a time for it.

Seen a fair bit over the weekend. As per my other post and someone else, Yorks definitely started better or were otherwise better prepared, but I don't think there's much between these two teams. I think Yorkshire may be on the way up after Root, Bairstow and Brook either come to the end of their careers and retire or head off for internationals, not sure where we go. Biggest difference I noticed is so many Yorkshire players are home grown. Their catchment area is bigger but shame we can't match that. It's only Yates, Hain and Mouseley who are home grown with us. Does infer a better future if the academy is delivering.

Devon_Bear wrote:

Another hundred for night Watchman Bamber coming up tomorrow!

I wonder if we just showed up to this game badly prepared and disorganised (could be badly coached too). Though I didn't see us bowl trust that they bowled too short, wrong ends and the spinner has literally just got here. I saw some of the batting: Mousley looked like he wasn't concentrating, Hain and Wester sucked into a plan Yorkshire had consistently applied. There's time to turn it around - see if they adapt on the fly as the game goes on.

Yeah obvs Gleeson a T20 specialist, and it really showed today. Yates I agree should get a slap on the back for his start. It's obvious still he finds it hard to manoeuvre the ball around and hit into gaps so he's hitting out probably more than he's used to. Think he's added those aerial big straight drives to his locker. Fair play to him, as you say ITE it's unselfish.

This is the first Blast game I've seen this year. Thought Warks played well throughout. Definitely some things went awry in the field, some odd choices, some catches just missed. Soms could have been 30 runs shy on another day. Very good to watch the chase. My eight year old son, born and playing within Middlesex, was shouting for the "Bears team" all through the closing stages, got to be good.

It's probably mentioned already but the team has many non-T20 speacialists all through the team. Woakes and Barnard were too predictable with the ball which spreads Thompson and Gleeson too thinly. Similar with the spinners, expected too much of Mouse and Yates when really needed a specialist. Having said that, probably only Mousley, Smith and Davies who are T20 specialists in the team.

Webster gets a para on his own. I can see why someone mentioned he was chewing up balls early stages but that hitting makes it up. He was driving at length balls which most other players couldn't reach. Also very interested by the innovation of him bowling seam to right handers then spin to left. Plenty for batsmen to think over there.

An interesting comment on cricinfo: "Let's see how Duckett goes after controversially not playing in IPL and how Bethell goes after controversially playing in the IPL". I'm about 3/4 miles from Lords and it is showery with good spells of sunshine though something very wet brewing here and heading over to the home of cricket. Just make sure he doesn't get out I think is the order of the moment.

I might be wrong on timing and on exact diagnosis. It might be a cover for something else - but he definitely wasn't available for that part of last year and detailing of the injury seemed intentionally vague.

Andy wrote:

Tayls79 wrote:

Totally - was looking forward to that last year but as I recall that was just the point when he got ill...

Andy wrote:

If Simmons can be involved in the ODC it could be huge for his development.

I don't recall him being ill, not sure what happened with him. Can't remember.

Totally - was looking forward to that last year but as I recall that was just the point when he got ill...

Andy wrote:

If Simmons can be involved in the ODC it could be huge for his development.

I'm not sure about incomings, like others say we could do with a bat and a properly fast bowler, left arm so much the better, but lots of this is out of control...

... as for our own players I do wonder about Hamza. He has had first team and England rep experience and he seems to have done better with England. Seems to be on the fringes this year but has played a lot for the 2nds.

Simmons I think is a must-keep though - as he does seem fast and able to make things happen. I don't think he's that far behind. A sophomoric season last year when he was ill for a lot of it, young fast bowlers always seem to get stress fractures too, and is still 22. He's played every second team game I've looked at this year and seems he is being invested in. I see him in a long-term role similar to Booth.

Is that the first time we have ever dropped Davies?

I agree best use of Kai is at six. But he has been batting at 1 for the seconds and could slot straight in. It's not what we have ever asked him to do before though and think he is more natural down the order in any form of cricket.